The FTSE 100 Index Closes 0.88% Higher

The FTSE 100 Index went up by 90 points or 0.88 percent on Tuesday to close at 10408 points. The rise was led by Airtel Africa (4.96%), Standard Chartered (3.74%) and BT (2.89%). On the downside, the weakerst performers were B&M European Value (-1.94%), Halma (-1.41%) and GlaxoSmithKline (-0.99%).

The FTSE 100 climbed 0.8% on Tuesday, building on a 0.6% gain from Monday to record its first back-to-back rise since the war in Iran began. Oil prices eased from session highs but stayed at levels that could fuel inflation concerns as the conflict continues. Energy majors Shell and BP each rose about 1.7%, while banks including HSBC, Barclays, Lloyds and NatWest gained between 1% and 1.5%. Standard Chartered led the sector, surging more than 3.5%. Other heavyweight stocks also contributed, with Rolls-Royce up 1.5% and Rio Tinto 0.9%, while AstraZeneca and Unilever were largely unchanged. Among the laggards, GSK dropped around 1%, weighing on the index.

The FTSE 100 edged slightly higher on Tuesday, attempting a second straight day of gains and outperforming other European markets, though sentiment remains fragile amid ongoing volatility. If sustained, it would mark the first back to back rise since the war in Iran began. The move was supported by further strength in oil majors and modest gains among large caps, with Shell up around 1% and BP adding 0.4%, while HSBC, AstraZeneca and Unilever also posted small increases. Investors continue to monitor tensions in the Middle East and fluctuating oil prices, with Brent climbing back toward $104 per barrel after Iran targeted additional energy infrastructure in the Gulf. On the downside, International Airlines Group dropped more than 1% as travel stocks remained under pressure.